Masons upgrading Stockton site

Thursday

STOCKTON - The Stockton Masonic Association is putting about $750,000 into its downtown building on Market Street, hoping to make it more attractive to retail or office tenants.

STOCKTON - The Stockton Masonic Association is putting about $750,000 into its downtown building on Market Street, hoping to make it more attractive to retail or office tenants.

There are actually two separate projects, said John Baker, the association's president.

One is a total renovation of the two retail spaces west of the Masonic Temple entry at 340 E. Market St., including new heating and air-conditioning systems, carpet and flooring, tile entry, new doors and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms. That's costing roughly $400,000.

The association is sinking an additional $350,000 into replacing the sidewalk fronting Market Street, which had slowly sunk over the years as its unreinforced supports deteriorated.

"To correct this, we are replacing the sidewalk with a brand-new one," Baker said.

"We're doing our best to keep our part of the city's skirts clean," he added, noting the entire cost of the project is being borne by the Masonic Association.

Since losing longtime tenants Tabuchi's, a men's department store, and the Harvard Bookstore, early in this decade, the association has struggled to keep its street-level shop spaces occupied.

"We've had several tenants in there; none of them have managed to make a go of it," Baker noted.

There are now three vacancies: a 6,500-square-foot shop at Market and Sutter streets, and the two now being renovated, measuring roughly 2,000 square feet and 3,500 square feet, respectively.

"We're obviously hoping to attract some professional tenants," he said. "Even though it is a tough market to be investing into the future, you've got to face it: If it's not ADA-compliant you can't lease it."